Outdoor pond Texas

AllyAlbon

New Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
Dallas
Hi everyone!

So I am a total goldfish/koi nut, and recently decided to start building a large pond of 1,500 gallons in my garden to house goldfish and a couple of koi. I am in Dallas, Texas. I then started wondering about adapting the pond (it is in an area that's going to be easy to enclose against escapees) to take on a few rescue turtles and give them a nice life. In my mind, it was going to be painted, or RES or others that seem to appear in rescue all the time.

However, I absolutely love Reeves and then had the opportunity to get two yearlings, which I did, and which currently live indoors in a large tank.

Then someone asked me if I would take three TINY pink belly sidenecks that their son had bought without permission, as they were going to just "put them in the river" if he couldn't get rid of them quick.
I don't know how anyone could look at those tiny faces and say such a thing, but there you go. So I now also own three pink bellies. I adore them. They are the sweetest, friendliest little characters.

Back to my question. I can't really keep any of these guys inside permanently or husband will probably divorce me! He is hard enough to persuade with my fish tanks, he is not keen at all on the turtles. Texas weather is generally pretty good, however I worry about the few weeks where it can get cold - it can get as low as 40 and last year we had a couple of days where it was bitter cold and actually had a little bit of ice.

Now, if I adapt the pond to make it more turtle friendly - shallower areas for the Reeves, deeper for the pink bellies - I am aiming for a depth of 4 ft for the koi anyway - and add lots of plant cover, and underwater hides, a couple of land hides, a waterfall for circulation, filtration and oxygenation, do you think the pink bellies would be able to cope with the colder weather in Texas? I am pretty confident the Reeves will be ok from the research I have done. The pink bellies I am not so sure about. Would they be ok as long as the water doesn't freeze? I know they don't hibernate, but will they go into "shut down" and stop eating like a lot of species?

I will probably set up something in the garage for those very cold days though, a plastic paddling pool or something with a basking light, heater etc, which husband is tolerant of, as long as it is not for long periods of time. So that's an option for the coldest times.

I can't heat the pond itself - it's going to be over 1,500 gallons and there is no way I can afford that :D I did wonder about adding a smaller, shallow pond for the Reeves, so waterfall flows into that first and then into the deeper one. Perhaps I could add an outdoor safe heat bulb over part of that? Or would that be madness and I will burn my house down?

I should also add that this isn't a worry for this year, it's next year's winter. The Reeves are adapted to being indoors now, and the Pink bellies are about 2 inches in size, if that, and were a bit uncared for - I really thought I was going to lose at least a couple of them at first - and it took me over a week to get them eating. They are growing like weeds now though so I think they will be big enough in a few months to start doing day visits to the pond and then hopefully move out permanently in summer.

Secondly, the pond isn't even built yet :D Depending on the weather it probably won't be done until December or January anyway so it will be too cold for them to adapt.

Thirdly, the goldfish and koi are in a different tank and are pretty small themselves so they will pose no threat to the turtles when they do go outside.

Any thoughts? If I can't keep the pink bellies outside for most of the year then I may have to rehome them, which would be very upsetting, but if it is best for them then I will.
 

Melis

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2017
Messages
511
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland
Welcome! I’m not familiar with pink bellies, and was going to suggest mark for pond questions as well.

Would love to see pics of your little ones!
 

AllyAlbon

New Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
Dallas
Welcome! I’m not familiar with pink bellies, and was going to suggest mark for pond questions as well.

Would love to see pics of your little ones!
Thanks! And I shall certainly post a few photos of my growing collection! :D
 

AllyAlbon

New Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
Dallas
Welcome.
We have lots of turtle folks here.
But for ponds and turtles...
GARDENPONDFORUM is 100% this kind of thing.
Thanks! I am actually a new member over there too but didn't think to ask about the turtle side of things, was just asking about the fish! Will drop them the same questions too
 

AllyAlbon

New Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
Dallas
By all means. Dig once. Make the pond as large as you can. If you don't, you'll always wish you had made it larger.
Oh, totally.. I have a long strip of space to fill, although I am leaving a little room at the bottom part to either expand into another pond section one day, or perhaps add a tortoise enclosure! Other than that, my rule is going to be "make it as big and deep as possible until husband starts making scared squeaking noises" which is generally how things have worked in the past :D I have estimated on the small size to be 1,400 gallons but may be able to get over 2,000 gallons out of the space! Im going to sit down and make some blueprints soon so I can work out how best to use the space while fitting in a deep koi pond, shallow pond for the reeves, a small waterfall/stream and then room for land for planting things and basking areas! It's going to be a lot of fun!!
 

AllyAlbon

New Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
Dallas
Look into a "bog" filter over at GARDENPOND FORUM.
Maybe you can utilize some of the bog area to support turtles or tortoises.
I wish I had done that.
oh most certainly! I started reading about bog filtration just the other day and that's probably what the "mini" pond area will be - heavily planted, shallow, and acting as a natural filter but with consideration for the Reeves and their liking of shallow water. Also, fairly sure the local toads will like this bit too!
 

Relic

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Messages
542
Location (City and/or State)
Here
AllyAlbon,

If you need some Koi or goldfish, I've got some I really need to thin out soon; would love to give them away. I'm in Tarrant County.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,953
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I will reccomend one thing. Getting a great pond liner and spending that initial money.
Saving a few bucks on a cheap liner is not money saved as it will have to be replaced.
I used a FIRESTONE liner. Thick. Heavy and supposedly lasts a "lifetime".
 

Yeetster

Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2018
Messages
74
Location (City and/or State)
West Virginia
Hi everyone!

So I am a total goldfish/koi nut, and recently decided to start building a large pond of 1,500 gallons in my garden to house goldfish and a couple of koi. I am in Dallas, Texas. I then started wondering about adapting the pond (it is in an area that's going to be easy to enclose against escapees) to take on a few rescue turtles and give them a nice life. In my mind, it was going to be painted, or RES or others that seem to appear in rescue all the time.

However, I absolutely love Reeves and then had the opportunity to get two yearlings, which I did, and which currently live indoors in a large tank.

Then someone asked me if I would take three TINY pink belly sidenecks that their son had bought without permission, as they were going to just "put them in the river" if he couldn't get rid of them quick.
I don't know how anyone could look at those tiny faces and say such a thing, but there you go. So I now also own three pink bellies. I adore them. They are the sweetest, friendliest little characters.

Back to my question. I can't really keep any of these guys inside permanently or husband will probably divorce me! He is hard enough to persuade with my fish tanks, he is not keen at all on the turtles. Texas weather is generally pretty good, however I worry about the few weeks where it can get cold - it can get as low as 40 and last year we had a couple of days where it was bitter cold and actually had a little bit of ice.

Now, if I adapt the pond to make it more turtle friendly - shallower areas for the Reeves, deeper for the pink bellies - I am aiming for a depth of 4 ft for the koi anyway - and add lots of plant cover, and underwater hides, a couple of land hides, a waterfall for circulation, filtration and oxygenation, do you think the pink bellies would be able to cope with the colder weather in Texas? I am pretty confident the Reeves will be ok from the research I have done. The pink bellies I am not so sure about. Would they be ok as long as the water doesn't freeze? I know they don't hibernate, but will they go into "shut down" and stop eating like a lot of species?

I will probably set up something in the garage for those very cold days though, a plastic paddling pool or something with a basking light, heater etc, which husband is tolerant of, as long as it is not for long periods of time. So that's an option for the coldest times.

I can't heat the pond itself - it's going to be over 1,500 gallons and there is no way I can afford that :D I did wonder about adding a smaller, shallow pond for the Reeves, so waterfall flows into that first and then into the deeper one. Perhaps I could add an outdoor safe heat bulb over part of that? Or would that be madness and I will burn my house down?

I should also add that this isn't a worry for this year, it's next year's winter. The Reeves are adapted to being indoors now, and the Pink bellies are about 2 inches in size, if that, and were a bit uncared for - I really thought I was going to lose at least a couple of them at first - and it took me over a week to get them eating. They are growing like weeds now though so I think they will be big enough in a few months to start doing day visits to the pond and then hopefully move out permanently in summer.

Secondly, the pond isn't even built yet :D Depending on the weather it probably won't be done until December or January anyway so it will be too cold for them to adapt.

Thirdly, the goldfish and koi are in a different tank and are pretty small themselves so they will pose no threat to the turtles when they do go outside.

Any thoughts? If I can't keep the pink bellies outside for most of the year then I may have to rehome them, which would be very upsetting, but if it is best for them then I will.

You could build a bigger top part of the pond for the turtles which could also be a filter and waterfall for the bottom pond which would house koi and goldfish then just heat the top part of the pond it will be a lot cheaper and easier.
 

AllyAlbon

New Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
Dallas
AllyAlbon,

If you need some Koi or goldfish, I've got some I really need to thin out soon; would love to give them away. I'm in Tarrant County.
Hi Relic - that's a real tempting offer, however right now I only have a 100gallon tank which has 2 3" koi and two 2" goldifsh! However, once the pond is up and running and cycled then I may very well drop you a line - especially for goldfish!
 

New Posts

Top